Naruto Never Gave Up
by phoenixdown7
Summary: slight SakuNaru, NARUSASU. Because, in the end, one of the traits that made Sakura fall in love with Naruto also became her secret heartache. Naruto never gave up.


Disclaimer: Don't own. Naruto not mine.

Naruto never gave up.

She knew this, even though the admission hurt her in a deep part of herself she had long struggled to lock away.

She watched him as their fellow male shinobi heckled him, his tan, rough hands still intertwined loosely, affectionately with hers. He caught her eye as he smiled at her, a sweet endearing smile as though apologizing for Kiba's rough words and brazen attitude about what was supposed to be a nice night out. A chance for them to get to know each other again and possibly, hopefully create a more than platonic connection.

She smiled back and rolled her eyes, pulling a lock of pink hair behind her left ear out of habit before she squeezed his hand supportively. His smile softened a bit as though in deep thought about something – possibly something he wanted to let her know, but the moment vanished when Kiba ignorantly clocked him on the side of the head, sending his lengthening blond locks into his crystal blue eyes.

She giggled a bit, as Naruto turned to return the favor to his canine-ophile friend, but she remembered to tug him by the arm before the tussle got too out of hand.

"Oi Kiba!"

Kiba turned toward the owner of the voice just as Naruto released him from a headlock, looking a bit rattled but nothing worse for wear.

"Quit bothering them, you're giving me a headache!" a handsomely dressed Shikamaru continued, rubbing his temples for effect, as a smiling Temari walked beside him bedecked in a kimono that must have cost quite a bit.

"It's not like I have anything better to do!" Kiba retorted.

"Then you should have thought about inviting someone," Ino replied as she and Chouji walked up into his line of sight, sending Kiba a knowing look. "Like Hinata, for example?"

"Keh." But Kiba went silent after that.

Sakura sighed as she and Naruto continued to walk down the glittering street, his warm hand still securely fastened within her's. She ignored the lit street and all the festivities to steal glances at Naruto. Despite some minor disturbances, he had been strangely silent ever since they had met in front of her house so that he could escort her to the festival.

Seeing him at her doorway just minutes ago had managed to take her breath away – his yukata was a dark blue which offset his eyes and contrasted hansomely with his hair, he had been almost solemn, reverant as he took her hand and walked with her down the few steps to the street. She had become a lot more nervous than she had originally anticipated, her heart was already fluttering within her chest and her hands were already beginning to sweat profusely within his. She suddenly wondered if he minded. Although she thought it most likely that he had barely even noticed.

The silence growing between them felt strange, almost awkward in a way she'd never experienced with him. He had always been so loud and she had always, since the first moment she had laid eyes on him, hated him with a passion. It was only until a few weeks ago that she had discovered that hatred had gone absent and something else entirely had managed to take its place.

She blushed, but she was glad to think that it couldn't show beneath all of her makeup and the darkness of the village, even as bright lights shone from the various stands of food, crafts, and games. She pushed herself to watch his profile now, daring to catch his eye if he noticed – but, thankfully or unthankfully, he seemed lost in himself.

After so much time, after so many days to mourn Sasuke's betrayal and pick up the pieces, she had managed to see Naruto in a whole new and initially disturbing light. First, she noticed the little things while on missions with him and while searching for Sasuke. At first she found herself gazing at him for longer than necessary, unconciously noting the way his hair flopped to one side as it got longer, the way a dimple came to being on his cheek when he smiled at her with a joke on his lips, the way his eyes hardened and his expression became entirely serious when they discussed a mission or discussed Sasuke in general. She gradually became fascinated with these observations, rolling them around in her mind before falling asleep at night until she had forgotten to think about Sasuke some nights. The very fact that she had to remind herself now was the first clue that something within her was changing.

Naruto had grown up, but maybe, most importantly, she had too. She could finally see him for who he was and appreciate every facet – he could be obnoxious, but he was always caring, he could be stupid and make horrendous mistakes even now, but when it really counted, he could become deathly serious, incredibly in control.

She had used to think that Sasuke was the best in every way. He certainly was the smartest back in the days of Team 7 and he was strong, even brave, but she had been blinded by her incomprehensible love for him. She realized that now. Her young, naïve love had allowed her to forgive him for doing things that weren't right and she had allowed him to fall away from her at a great distance because she couldn't learn to understand him for who he was.

Once her gaze had shifted to the teammate who had always clumsily showered her with affection, she realized she hadn't known Naruto as well as she had thought. Her dismissal of him in her younger days had been egregioiusly premature and she had never given him a chance to show her his true self; the self he bottled up quite expertly and disarmingly with a goofy smile and flamboyant gestures. It took hindsight for her to see beneath the underneath and break through his shields to see the boy on the inside – the one Sasuke secretly admired and trusted.

For in hindsight, she had also unlocked Sasuke as well, and while it had always bothered her that her teammates were effectively leaving her behind she had never been able to understand the specific bond she had always jealously known they had shared. She had never really understood her jealously for what it was, but she had always known it was deeper than the fact that Sasuke and Naruto were better than her and that Naruto had understood Sasuke better than her. She had always known these things and acknowledged them only to herself on private occasions when the loneliness got to her and things between them had begun to go horribly awry. She had always known they shared something she could never penetrate, even now that Sasuke had been gone for so long.

Because, in the end, one of the traits that made Sakura fall in love with Naruto also became her secret heart-ache. Naruto never gave up.

She stood back a bit as Naruto was pulled roughly to a game booth by Kiba and the other boys. Ino and Temari linguered beside her so that they became a panel watching 'their men' go at it.

"So, you and Naruto, ne Sakura-chan?" Ino finally burst out, nudging her conspiratorally with her soft elbow.

Sakura just swatted her friend's arm away, smiling enough to prove to her that they were really going out, that she knew about and had hopes for the future of their budding romance. She, too, was good with masks.

"And you and Shikamaru too?" Ino asked with a sly smile, looking sidelong at Temari.

"Pfft…that lazy bum and I?" Temari complained as she glanced back over at Shikamaru who was just standing boredly beside the booth, doing nothing but looking at the dark black sky, emphasizng her point perfectly. "No."

"So, who asked who out?" Ino nettled, clearly not believing Temari for a second and enjoying the girl-talk.

Sakura fazed them out as the two girls continued their chat. Naruto was now on his fourth dart, which nearly made it to the smallest balloon with a quick thwap against the back of the booth. Kiba was already laughing at Naruto for his bad luck, but Naruto's expression was serious and focused. Inevitably, the next moment Kiba's smile had slid right off his face and Naruto's dart was sitting just inside the tattered carcass of the tiny balloon.

Sakura smiled when Naruto jumped and whooped loudly, punching Kiba in the arm playfully and coaxing a smile out of his sore opponent as well. Out of any trait Naruto had, that was her favorite one. His unerring ability to make people like him, even after he beat them into the ground. It took her some time to see this power of his, but once she noticed it, it wasn't hard to see that he had held this power for quite a long time. Maybe she had been aware of this back then, right after Sasuke had left for the sound and she was left with nothing but wet tracks down her cheeks. Back when she begged Naruto to bring Sasuke back, because he was the only one who could. Yes, Naruto held a great power, even then.

She knew it followed that Naruto had the ability to make friends out of enemies, lovers out of friends. It was his gift, and she knew she hadn't been the only one to fall for it.

The small smile she had been sporting slipped slowly off her porcelain face and she failed to notice Naruto coming back to her side until he put a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned to bathe in his smile, but she could see that he was searching her expression with his eyes.

She couldn't lie to him anymore – or maybe she couldn't let him continue lying to himself. It was starting to hurt too much, this tangled web they were weaving together out of pain and loss. It wasn't real, and sooner or later the strands would break and disconnect them further from one another.

She knew if there was anything worse then losing his heart, it was losing his friendship.

Unable to keep her eyes completely free of moisture, Sakura smiled and placed a slightly shaking hand on Naruto's whisker-like scars. He looked down at her confusedly.

"Sakura-chan…?"

She looked from one blue eye to the other, before her hand slid away. "Walk with me, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded dumbly, watching her profile with a worried expression notting his brows as they walked hand in hand down the street, away from their comrades at the booth.

She finally stopped beneath a group of trees, slightly to the side of the main road and turned toward him. She took a deep breath, looking down at their entangled hands as she gathered her courage to say what she knew had to be said.

"You okay, Sakura-chan?"

Naruto's deep voice almost startled her out of her thoughts, but she nodded immediately, "Yes…"

He looked at her skeptically.

"No…" She conceded. She breathed in again slowly and looked straight into his eyes, the trees rustled in a slight breeze and dappled moonlight played across his face. "Naruto…why did you agree to go out with me tonight?"

Naruto looked a little taken aback by the question, looking down at her as though telling her she should know why, wasn't it obvious? "What d'ya mean, Sakura-chan?" A blush began to color his features, perceptable even in the dark. "I've always wanted to date you."

She allowed herself to feel happy at this admission, but she couldn't let herself believe it. His act was realistic, the perfect show, but she had studied him for years now and she knew the truth beneath. It was time that Naruto came to understand that she could see past his mask and that she wouldn't allow him to continue with something he didn't really want anymore.

"I know the truth, Naruto." Her voice shook a bit and her eye contact broke with his. "I know you don't really want me."

"Wha-what do you mean?" Naruto stuttered, and Sakura couldn't stop thinking about how cute he was at this moment despite the circumstances. The tell-tale hand flew to the back of his head, showing that he was unequivocably nervous.

"It's sweet of you to have agreed to take me out tonight, but I know you don't feel the same way," Sakura plowed on, looking up at him with a hint of defiance. Some small part of her still wanted to hurt him for falling out of love with her, but the bulk of her knew that wasn't fair to him. "I know you're feelings for me have been gone for quite some time."

The words burned her tongue as she uttered them, but she didn't linguer on them.

"Th-that's not true, Sakura-chan," Naruto muttered, a frown on his face, but his expression looked slightly frantic. "Really! I like you!"

"You like me?" Sakura muttered to herself, before she smiled up at him with a sorrowful expression. "But, you see, Naruto…I love you."

Naruto gasped a bit at the admission and the look in her eyes, but he was apparently rendered silent otherwise. He simply looked at her, his expression one of guilt and something else.

"It's alright, Naruto," Sakura whispered, her mouth still straining with an unnatural smile. "Because I know everything."

"What do you know?" Naruto asked apprehensively, his eyes suddenly boring into her's.

Sakura shook her head, tears already blooming in her eyes. Naruto moved to comfort her, but she stopped him with a palm to his chest.

Her voice came out unnaturally strong, almost echoing across the tree trunks and reverberating around them. "You're in love with Sasuke-kun."

Naruto stepped back as though he had been punched in the gut. His eyes were wide as he looked at her, disbelieving. "No…you're wrong…you don't know…"

"I do," Sakura cut him off, watching him closely as he wrung his hands and his eyebrows notted in anxiety. "Maybe, even more than you do."

"You love him, Naruto." Her conviction grew with every word. She had to open his eyes to the emotions that he seemed unable to face. "You've loved him for a long time."

"How do you know that?" Naruto's voice was suddenly sharp and wrought with anguish, his face screwed up in pain. "I don't…"

"I know you can't stop thinking about him," Sakura interrupted sharply, her frustration with him releasing itself against her better judgement. "I know you dream about him."

"How…?" Naruto suddenly looked hurt and betrayed, as though she had done something behind his back and tread upon his trust in her.

"You talk in your sleep, Naruto!" Sakura's voice rose inexorably and her cheeks became wet and cold with her tears. She didn't want to break down in front of him like this. She was supposed to take this calmly, rationally. Just get it over with before she could show him how much it hurt. She couldn't even hold herself together for five minutes.

She swung her fist into the trunk of the closest tree, cracking its bark in a neat swirl from the impact. The entire scene must have looked ridiculous given the expensive sakura blossom kimono she was wearing and the gobs of make-up that were probably trailing down her face just now.

Naruto just watched her, his eyes wide, but his expression of confusion and betrayal was completely wiped clean from his face.

Sakura's breath came out harshly, more from the argument than from the work-out. She glanced back at Naruto and her form went slack.

"It hurts me to know this too, Naruto. Don't think that it's been easy for me to acknowledge your love for him myself." Sakura raked a hand through her hair, her voice tired. "I just knew it wouldn't work if you could never love me. We can't delude ourselves anymore. Not when I want more from you than you can ever give me. It just wouldn't be fair, to either of us."

Her lips quivered, but she looked away toward the bright lights up the street as they blurred within her vision. She tried not to give in to the sobs trying to wrack themselves through her body.

Suddenly, a warm body surrounded her own, warm arms pulling her against a warm chest. She sniffled a bit into his yukata top, but she didn't give in yet. His hands rubbed her back in soothing circles. She had never known him to be so perfectly considerate. It made her wonder how much of him had actually been a mask and how much of him had been real.

When he spoke, his breath ruffled her bangs which brushed feather-like across her cheek, and his voice rumbled comfortingly through his chest.

"I've always loved you like a sister, you know." Naruto muttered, but it seemed punctuated by a hint of self-loathing. "It just took me a while to realize I didn't love Sasuke in the same way."

"I know," she answered softly. "It must have been hard for you."

"Loving that bastard?" Naruto cracked sarcastically. "Nah, he'll probably confess his love to me tomorrow and we'll open a Ramen shop together. At least he would if he didn't hate Ramen and hadn't betrayed the village by running away and joining that damn snake-bastard."

Sakura pulled away from him, finally looking him in the eyes seriously. "You know I had meant what I said back then, don't you? You're the only one who can bring him back."

Naruto looked a bit doubtful, but he covered it with a small smile. "Thanks, Sakura-chan."

"Of course, I'll be there to help too." She let a small smile cross her face.

Naruto nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way. We'll do it together."

They left the night shade of the trees and moved toward the lights together, hand-in-hand but with new understanding between them.

Naruto stopped before they reached the booth-lined street once again and turned toward her. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, before she could do anything to protest. He smiled at her rackishly when he pulled back, and she frowned at him without any real menace. She knew he did it to show her that he still cared, that he'd always be there no matter what, and even to thank her for pushing him to admit his feelings for their ex-teammate.

His eyes twinkled. "Love sucks, doesn't it?"

Sakura could only laugh. Yes, yes it did…but maybe not for long.

Naruto never gave up and, like everyone else, she knew he had the enviable power to make lovers from friends.

After all, she was living proof.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

AN: Uh…yeah…


End file.
